Receptacle cap plug



June 20, 1933. R ECKSTElN 1,914,944

RECEPTACLE CAP PLUG Filed May 27, 1931 INVENTOR Reuben CA6Z 6l/7 ATTORN EY Patented June 20, 1933 PATENT OFFIE REUBEN EOKSTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REGEIPTACLE CAP PLUG Application filed May 27, 1931.

This invention relates to electric attachment fittings, and more particularly is directed to an improvement in a combination receptacle cap-plug for detachably connecting cords of portable electric appliances, lighting system and the like apparatus to an electric power supply source.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve the construction of com bination receptacle cap-plugs of the character described, whereby such fittings shall comprise few and simple parts assembled to form a compact structure, which shall be cheap to manufacture, form a rugged yet neat appearing and convenient fitting, and which shall be practical and efiicient to a hlgh degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a conventional type of cap-plug associated with a combination receptacle cap-plug embodying the invention, parts of said receptacle cap-plug being partly broken away to expose the interior construction.

Fig. I2 is a top plan View of the improved receptacle cap-plug.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the improved receptacle cap-plug showlng one of the current carrying members removed.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of the insulating body portion of the improved combination receptacle cap-plug corresponding to cuts taken on lines 4-4 in Fig. 2, and lines 55 in Fig. 3, respectively.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the current carrying members removed from the improved receptacle cap-plug, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an improved Serial No. 549,320.

current spring contact removed from the receptacle cap-plug.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 denotes an improved combination receptacle cap-plug constructed to embody the invention and adapted to be inserted in a conventional baseboard, flush receptacle and fixture socket outlets, or, as shown in Fig. 1, connected to a conventional cap-plug 11 having the usual blades or prongs 12, said conventional capplug 11 terminating the ends of conductor wires 13 for connecting an electric appliance (not shown) to a suitable electric power source through the improved receptacle capplug 10 in the well understood manner.

The receptacle cap-plug 10 may comprise a onepiece body portion 14 formed of insulating material such as porcelain, phenolcondensate products and like substances on which are mounted spaced current carrying members 15. Ihe latter may be secured in any suitable manner to the insulating body portion 14, as by means of screws 16 which engage the threaded hole 1442 provided in the space, diametrically opposite seat portion 14?) which projects inwardly from the periphery of the body portion 14, as shown in Figs. 1,

3 and 5.

The current carrying members 15 may comprise terminal blades or prongs 17 extending outwardly from a bottom side 10a of the body portion 14, and spring contacts 18 which electrically connect with the blades 17, when assembled in the body portion 14, and extend into a pair of spaced, parallelly ali 'ned sock et openings 140 provided in said body por tion. Said openings 140 project down from a top side 10?) of said body portion 14 opposite said side 10a.

The terminal blades 17 each have an extension or base 17a provided with an opening 17 b wherethrough an anchoring screw 16 extends for rigidly securing the current carrying member 15 to the body portion 14 as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. Said base 17a is mounted on the seat portion 146, the latter being substantially the same shape in crosssection as said base 17a with the exception that a recess or pocket 14d is provided for clearance for a binding screw post 19 threaded through the base 17a of the blade at a spaced distance from said opening 17 b.

The spring contact 18 has one end 18a formed with a U-shaped or hooked end which fits about and engages the blade base 17a, said end having aligned slots 18b which register with the threaded hole through which the binding post screw 19 extends. Said hooked end 18a is provided with a lip 180 which retains the spring contact to the blade base 1701 against shift-ing movement and also may be provided with an upstanding ledge 18d which is adapted to confine the bare end 20a of an appliance conductor wire 20 for retention under the head of the screw 19. Each of the terminal blades 17 with its corresponding spring contact 18 is electrically and mechanically united to form a current carrying mem ber 15 of rugged construction on tightening of the binding screw post 19, and each of said current carrying members 15 are securely anchored in position by the screw 16, the peripherial wall of the body portion 14 being recessed, as at 23, to receive the edge of the hook end 18a. The end portion of the spring contact member 18 opposite the hook end 18a is adapted to make a sliding contact with the blades or prongs 12 of a conventional cap plug, and may be provided with a protuberance 186 for engaging the usual perforation 12a of the blade 12 to form a spring releasable interlockment, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Extending centrally through the body portion 14 and the top side 106, a passage 100 is provided through which the conductor wires 20 extend, the latter being connected to the binding screw posts 19 of the current carrying members 15. The top side 1011 is formed with a depression or channel 21 which extends between the parallelly-aligned socket openings 140 and communicates with the through passage 100 to provide a conduit for the conductor wires 20. Said channel is made of sufiicient depth so that the wire 20 extending therethrough does not interfere with the connection of a plug-cap 11 with the receptacle plug-cap 10.

The upper end of the body portion 14 adj acent the side 1012 has the exterior diametrically opposite wall portions thereof formed with concaved surfaces 22 to provide finger gripping means. Said surface may be knurled to assure a frictional contact, said gripping means making it convenient to connect and remove the cap-plug 10 from circuit.

In using the invention, the receptacle plugcap 10 is connected to the free end of the conductor wires 20 through which power may be supplied to an appliance, lighting devices, etc. (not shown) and the terminal blades 17 thereof are inserted in an electric power outlet in the well understood manner. Other apparatus may successively be connected in circuit by simply plugging in the terminal blades of similar receptacle cap plugs 10 or of the conventional cap plugs 11 for electrically connecting to the spring contact members 18 as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. The wire 20 may be extended to pass outwardly from either end of the channel 21 below the surface of the upper side 10?) so as not to interfere with the connection of an overlying cap plug.

From the drawing and description given above, it is seen that the receptacle plug-cap 10 is of simple construction and permits connecting a plurality of circuits to a single electric power outlet using one or more of the improved receptacle cap plugs 10 or the latter with a conventional type of cap plug 11 and in either case, the freedom of movement of the conductor wire 20 is in no way interfered with.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a cap-plug con struction, a spring contact of a current carrying member having a U-shaped hooked end adapted to engage the base ofa terminal blade, said end having aligned openings adapted to register with a threaded opening in said base wherethrough a binding post screw passes, said hook-end having an upstanding ledge adjacent the head of said screw adapted to confine the passing of a bare conductor wire under the head of said screw, and having a lip for embracing said base to secure said contact against shifting movement.

2. A receptacle plug cap comprising a one piece insulating body having a pair of spaced socket passages extending inwardly from the upper face thereof, the body also having a pair of ledges adjacent its opposite face, and a pair of terminal blade and spring contact assemblies, each assembly comprising a termi nal blade a spring contact, a base plate in tegral with said blade, said base having a threaded opening at its free end, said spring contact having a U-shaped end embracing the free end of said plate and having openings aligned with said threaded opening, a binding post screw extending through said openings and holding the unit in assembled relation,'said base plate resting on one of said ledges and having screw means adjacent the blade for anchoring the assembly on the ledge and holding the spring contact in its passage and the blade extending from said body.

3. A receptacle plug cap comprising a one piece insulating body having a pair of spaced socket openings in the upper face thereof, a pair of current carrying spring contacts positioned in said openings, a pair of terminal blades extending from the opposite face of said body, said body having a pair of ledges adjacent said opposite face, each of said blades having a base resting on a ledge, each spring contact having a U-shaped end embracing the free end of the corresponding base, a binding post screw extending through the legs of the U-shaped end and the base, and screw means anchoring the opposite end of the base to the ledge.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

REUBEN EGKSTEIN. 

